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joewein.de LLC
fighting spam and scams on the Internet
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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam
The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.
Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.
Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!
Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.
Click here to report a problem with this page.
Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:
- An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
- This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
- The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "the consignment" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "consignment " (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "diplomatic agent" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- "contact the diplomat" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
- This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
- This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- kelly_smith2005@yahoo.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)
Fraud email example:
From: "Mr.Abdul Lawal" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <mrabdullawal1967@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2015 14:49:39 +0200
Subject: GOOD NEWS AND DELIVERY TIME..
My dear,
Good morning.
This is urgent notification regards to your funds 1.5musd which will
leave benin republic to united states of america today via diplomatic
means and i have already take care of the local expenses here to
united states of america and you will take care of the international
expense when the diplomatic agent arrive united states of america
today in florida because there is no direct flight to your states.
Secondly, the diplomatic agent is not aware the contents inside your
consignment box that is funds because i registered it as film
materials from their security company you should not let him know the
contents inside the consignment for security purpose.
You will contact the diplomatic agent via is email and text him too
from is phone numbers because he can be busy at the florida airport
before he connect another flight to your state.
The name of the diplomatic agent is Mr.Kelly smith and is phone
numbers +15619450111 and is email address is kelly_smith2005@yahoo.com
, contact him via is contact today so that he can proceed and complete
the delivery to your destination address.
Let me know any message you received from the diplomatic agent so that
i can advise you wisely on what to do to avoid mistake.
I will be waiting for your very urgent reply.
Best Regards,
MR ABDUL LAWAL.
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Anti-fraud resources:
